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For a lot of mothers, the idea of holding their child and breastfeeding brings out very strong feelings. To them, it is about bonding, feeding, and getting back to a routine after pregnancy. However, if you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you start wondering: Can my body still do this? Is it safe? Could the cancer come back?
Fortunately, most breast cancer patients can get back to breastfeed after their therapy, which is safe and very rewarding. As the best breast cancer hospital in Hisar, Sarvesh Health City has medical and maternity professionals supporting women through this experience by offering medical guidance as well as empathetic care.
Now, let’s talk about the most important question in the next section.
Is Breastfeeding After Breast Cancer Possible?
Generally speaking, breastfeeding can be an option post breast cancer surgeries and therapies. The feasibility of breastfeeding depends mainly on the kind of cancer you had, the aggressiveness of your treatment, and the state of your breasts after the therapy.
Studies suggest that neither pregnancy nor breastfeeding will increase the chances of breast cancer recurrence after a successful treatment. Since a lot of cancers are estrogen-sensitive, it was thought that pregnancy hormones might initiate the cancer again. However, recent research has demonstrated that survivors who get pregnant and breastfeed are not at any greater risk of having a recurrence than those who do not.
How Different Treatments Affect Breastfeeding
Each breast cancer is a different journey. Here’s how breast treatment may affect your ability to feed your baby in the following ways;
1. Surgery and Breastfeeding
- Lumpectomy (breast-conserving surgery): Milk production may still be there but the supply from that breast is usually less because of the cut in the ducts and nerves.
- Mastectomy (one breast removed): Normally, you will be able to breastfeed from the other breast.
- Double mastectomy: In this case, unfortunately, breastfeeding is an option as the milk-producing tissue is totally removed.
2. Chemotherapy and Breastfeeding
Since chemotherapy drugs are transferred into the breast milk, breastfeeding during chemotherapy is prohibited.
Various chemotherapy drugs have different half-lives, so the time after which breastfeeding can be safely resumed post-chemotherapy varies accordingly. Usually, women continue to pump and discard their milk during chemotherapy to keep their supply for later.
3. Radiation Therapy and Breastfeeding
After radiation therapy, milk production is frequently diminished. The breast that underwent radiation may not behave normally during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Besides, you might face a higher chance of developing mastitis.
Nevertheless, if you were irradiated only on one breast, nursing from the other one is in most cases both safe and effective.
4. Hormone (Endocrine) Therapy
There are few drugs like tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors that should not be taken while breastfeeding as these drugs can pass into milk and impact your child.
There are some cases where women, after consulting their doctors very thoroughly, briefly stop hormone therapy to breastfeed, but this is a very sensitive issue which should always be negotiated with your oncologist first.
5. Targeted Therapy
In most cases, targeted therapies are unsafe during breastfeeding. After finishing the treatment and once the medication is out of your body, it may be safe to breastfeed following the advised period of abstinence.
Fertility & Pregnancy After Breast Cancer
A lot of young women worry that breast cancer treatment means they will never be able to have children but, in fact, many survivors become mothers again after treatment. On one hand, some therapies, mainly chemotherapy and hormone therapy, might damage one’s ovaries and thus make pregnancy difficult. On the other hand, women’s age, treatment modality, and overall reproductive health also impact outcomes.
This is the reason why it is best to address fertility planning before the start of cancer therapy. Discussions at the time of diagnosis enable the patient to be well informed, consider the possibility of fertility preservation, and even confidently plan her family for the future. It’s also good to know that the risk of breast cancer relapse is not higher if you get pregnant after successful treatment.
At Sarvesh Health City, our oncologists, gynecologists, and other specialists will guide you through fertility counseling and help you plan for a safe pregnancy after cancer.
Common Challenges You Might Face
You might also have physical changes due to surgery, chemotherapy or radiation that can affect both how your body produces and delivers milk. Here are some of the most common challenges survivors may face:
- Decreased milk production: If the breasts that were treated became less productive in milk production, it can be due to damage to the ducts, nerve, or glands. It is normal and it does not mean that you have failed.
- Only one breast to feed: If one breast is removed or treated, you may have to use the other one to feed your baby.
- Discomfort to latch baby: If the scar tissue has formed and the skin is tightened, the baby will have a hard time latching on to the breast for comfortable and proper feeding.
Final Thought
Each woman experiences a unique journey after breast cancer. Some women are able to breastfeed completely, others partially, and some do not breastfeed at all. The main thing is that you have the support, information, and care that you need.
If you are considering pregnancy or have just conceived after breast cancer, consult with specialists in oncology and maternity. You can trust that the team at Sarvesh Health City, the best breast cancer hospital in Hisar, not only focuses on treating your condition, but also your life ahead.
FAQs
Q1. Is it possible to breastfeed after a mastectomy?
Ans. Yes, if one breast is removed you can possibly breastfeed from the other one. However, if both the breasts were removed, breastfeeding might not be possible due to removal of milk producing glands completely.
Q2. Is breastfeeding safe after chemotherapy?
Ans. It is not safe to breastfeed during chemotherapy. After the treatment is completed, it might be safe to breastfeed – but only after the drugs have been completely eliminated from your body.
Q3. Can breastfeeding cause breast cancer to return?
Ans. No. It has been confirmed by research that breastfeeding does not increase the risk of breast cancer coming back after successful therapy.
Q4. Can one breast really make enough milk?
Ans. Absolutely. A single healthy breast is capable of producing enough milk for one baby – and even for twins in rare situations.
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